By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
School resumption across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was uneven on Monday as the strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) disrupted academic activities on the eve of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations.
While some schools reopened with low student turnout, others remained shut following reports of strike enforcement, with several students reportedly turned back.
The development has raised concerns over the preparedness of candidates scheduled to begin examinations on Tuesday.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Education Secretariat, Danlami Hayyo, urged the union to suspend the strike, describing the action as “psychologically demoralizing,” particularly for students preparing for the examinations.
He condemned reported incidents where students and teachers were forced out of classrooms, warning that such disruptions could negatively impact performance, as WAEC would not reschedule the examinations.
Speaking during an inspection of schools in Abuja, Hayyo questioned the legality of such actions.
“I don’t think constitutionally it is right for the NUT to chase students out. How can they write exams tomorrow when they are sent home today?” he said.
He cautioned that the situation could lead to mass failure if not urgently addressed.
An early monitoring visit to Government Science Secondary School, Maitama, showed that academic activities continued despite low attendance. The school principal, Isa Usman, disclosed that only 473 students were present out of over 1,800 enrolled, attributing the low turnout partly to the ongoing Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) examinations. He added that boarding students already on campus would remain.
Hayyo further revealed that the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, had renovated over 100 schools and addressed about 40 percent of teachers’ welfare concerns, noting that outstanding issues largely fall under the purview of Area Councils.
Meanwhile, the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), FCT chapter, distanced itself from the strike, insisting that its members would continue teaching.
Chairman of the union, Julius Ogundiran, stated that ASUSS was not bound by NUT directives, citing constitutional rights to freedom of association.
He, however, raised concerns over alleged intimidation of teachers who chose not to join the strike and called for adequate protection and clear directives from relevant authorities.
“Our members will remain at their duty posts and continue academic activities without interruption,” he said.
Ogundiran added that key concerns, including promotion-related issues, had largely been addressed, making the strike unnecessary for secondary school teachers.
Educationists have warned that with WAEC examinations commencing, prolonged disruption could further destabilize the academic calendar and worsen the incidence of out-of-school children in the FCT, as efforts continue to restore normalcy.
